Flight of the Raven
by captaincadwaller
Summary: Just a feeling, an inkling of something that could possibly be wrong, doomed me from the start. They always said that curiosity killed the cat. In this case curiosity killed the raven, and replaced it with a snake.
1. Part 1, Chapter 1: Into the Fold

**A/N: This isn't my first fic. I just decided to post this because I wanted to see what other people thought about it.**

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**Part One: Life As We Knew It**

**Chapter 1: Into the Fold**

**Lisa POV**

An 'alliteration'. _That's_ what the strange phenomenon was called. I knew it might also be considered an 'anticlimax' but it felt so…mundane to classify it as that.

Arthur merely glanced at me submissively, mostly to make sure that I was keeping up. I knew that he honestly didn't understand the importance of this event. My brother didn't like to think things through. He was merely a Ravenclaw, who liked only to think about things that were easily explained. Meanwhile, I was trying to puzzle out what was happening to us. For a moment, a strange _something_ had been lurking in the shadows. It left a faint rotting scent in its wake, and then, it just simply disappeared without a trace. Normally, this wouldn't bother anyone; truly, they would be glad to be rid of this mysterious stalker. But this wasn't 'normally'. With the return of Voldemort (at least to the public eye), every witch and wizard was under threat. With a stalker following me through the nearly deserted streets of Diagon Alley, the least I expected was a few well-aimed curses meant to disable me. After all, I wasn't one of Harry Potter's best friends because of my charming demeanor.

I followed my twin brother to the shops we had to visit: Flourish and Blotts, Madam Malkin's, and the pet shop. We were only here because the things that we purchased couldn't be found in the States.

While I stood impatiently in Flourish and Blotts while Arthur found some 'rare' books for Dad, I felt the sensation that I was being watched again. I told Arthur, and to my surprise, he agreed. Either he felt it too, or he trusted my keen senses. I was willing to bet on the latter.

I snuck to the back to the shop, towards the shelf where the boring out-of-date history textbooks were kept. After assuring myself that I truly was alone, I transformed into a harmless pigeon. I flitted around the ceiling, waiting until Arthur finally managed to distract the shopkeeper enough for me to take my leave.

I scanned the road, alighting on the rafters in order to swivel my head around. My observations didn't reveal the identity of my persecutor, but I caught that strange rotting scent again. This time, it was overlaid with the scent of birdseed.

Suddenly, my pigeon senses kicked in. Without even consciously realizing it, I flew off the rafters in pursuit of the tantalizing seed. Soon, I was close enough to see the shadow again. It had stopped running, and one hand was extended, with a fistful of birdseed beckoning. I dove towards it, and then did I realize the stupidity of my actions. By then it was too late to turn back. The shadow clamped a hand around my neck, and Disapparated.

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When we arrived at our destination, I instantly felt a strange feeling, like I didn't have any responsibilities, anything whatsoever to worry about. I had only experienced this feeling once before, during my fourth year at Hogwarts. 'Professor Moody' had decided to demonstrate the Unforgivables to the class. He cast the Imperious Curse on everyone, and I managed to resist it after a few seconds.

This time, however, the Curse was stronger. I knew that I had no hope of breaking free, but I at least managed to catch a few snatches of the conversation going on around me.

"My lord, I have brought the girl," a male voice said. I assumed correctly that it was my apprehender.

"Good work Rowle." That voice just had to belong to Voldemort; who else could speak with so much menace and venom and still show pleasure?

Somebody roughly grabbed my arm. Since I was heavily under the influence of the Imperious, I could only let my arm be guided. I felt a strong feeling of fear and dread when I realized that the arm that had been grabbed had been my left. If they weren't planning of blasting it off, then there was only one other thing that the Dark Wizards could have in mind. I put in as much effort as I possibly could, but once again, I was too late to do anything. I felt searing pain, stronger than anything I had ever experienced in my lifetime. The one good thing that came from that was that the shock was enough to liberate me from the Imperious. I blinked, taking in my surroundings for the first time.

I was standing in the middle of a dark clearing, with scores of Death Eaters surrounding me. Directly in front of me, less than an arm's-length away, sat Voldemort. He studied me carefully, as if gauging my reaction. Of course, I didn't have to look at my throbbing arm to know what had just happened. I knew with a strong certainty that that shock that I had just received was much, much worse than the Cruciatus Curse. I had just been branded with the Dark Mark.

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**Arthur POV**

I tried to ignore the fear that rose inside of me as I watched Lisa-the-pigeon fly past the window. She certainly could take care of herself without my help. In fact, I thought that she could survive longer than I could without any help.

The cashier at Flourish and Blotts gave me a flirtatious smile. I ignored her; Padma was better anyways. Outside, the sky was beginning to darken with the promise of rain. I scanned the skies in search of Lisa, but I didn't see any pigeons flitting around. I tried to keep that from letting me worry too much; she had probably changed forms in order to escape detection. I waited outside for almost fifteen minutes, but she hadn't shown up yet. Knowing that Dad would probably kill me if I ruined his rare books, I decided to head to the Leaky Cauldron. I barely made it past the brick barrier before it began to rain.

To pass the time, I asked Tom for a butterbeer. I sat down at a table and sipped it slowly. Without warning, the room exploded into pure white sparks. No, not the room. My eyes were reacting to an intense pain that had suddenly blossomed on my left arm. I knew that Lisa was in trouble. My theory was purely metaphysical, but I had heard of telepathy, and how it was most common in twins.

The pain had lessened into a 'dull' throbbing by the time Lisa finally showed up. She ran across the room, in the guise of a mangy tabby cat and motioned for me to follow her. I couldn't understand her urgency. Sure, we had stayed for a long time, but we hadn't exactly been given a time to be back by. Without even bothering to turn back into human (or to help me with the packages) she ran into the nearest fireplace, and flicked her tail impatiently while I struggled to keep hold of all the packages and grab a handful of Floo Powder at the same time. Eventually, I managed it, and we were soon spinning through the green flames. When we emerged in Dad's study, she didn't even bother explaining to me why it had taken her so long to finally make her way back to me, or why she wanted to go back home so quickly. Shoot, she hadn't even given me a chance to finish the butterbeer! She ran off, leaving me to sort through the packages.


	2. 2: Keeping a Secret Isn't Easy

**Chapter 2: Keeping a Secret Isn't Very Easy**

**Lisa POV**

To say that I streaked away from the Voldemort's followers would be an understatement. In my desperation to get away, I turned into a bald eagle, the fastest bird I could think of. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there weren't any bald eagles in Britain. One or two Muggles might have spotted me, but I honestly didn't care. I only wanted to distance myself from them. If only I knew how to Apparate!

Upon reaching Diagon Alley, I turned into a cat in order to keep Arthur from asking any awkward questions. I found him, of all places, in the Leaky Cauldron, enjoying a butterbeer. He honestly wasn't doing anything bad; I only felt a tad bit jealous that he could be sitting idly while I was suffering.

We _Floo'd _back home, and once again, I refused to let myself be caught in the same room without someone else to distract him. Arthur might decide to ask in front of Dad, but with Mum he wouldn't dare. She was already worried enough about us, and mentioning that someone had been following us would only increase her fears. With that in mind, I ran to the kitchen. Just before entering, I changed back into my human form, complete with the hideous mark on my arm.

"Hi Lisa! You're back already?" Mum tried to sound nonchalant, but failed miserably. She might not be our real mother, but she sure worried about Arthur and me as if she were.

"Yep. It didn't take long to find what we needed," I said lightheartedly, trying to get my wand out without arousing suspicions. I wasn't about to curse her or anything, and I wasn't supposed to use magic at home until I was of age, but I had to make sure my sleeve didn't accidentally slide down. I was lucky that I had worn long-sleeved robes. I had barely managed to perform the simple charm before Dad came in, with Arthur right behind. Dad glanced at my wand and frowned slightly, but he didn't say anything. Arthur, too, remained silent. I breathed a silent sigh of relief as Dad outlined our plans for the remaining two weeks of summer break.

**Arthur POV**

I tried to ask Lisa why she had seemed so…spooked that day. The only time I dared to ask her, she nearly flinched at the question. I decided not to pry any further.

Eventually, the final two weeks of the break flew by, and it was September 1st. Lisa and I had Floo'd to the Burrow the day before so we wouldn't miss our train. Just before we left for Britain, she finally decided that she'd be better telling me what was wrong. While Mum and Dad were downstairs, taking care of last-minute details, she pulled me aside.

"Look, I really don't want to do this, but I need to tell someone else. This is becoming too much to bear!" Her tone was desperate, and at the same time, steadfastly proud. I told her to go on, successfully managing to hide my eagerness. She spun a tale so ridiculous that I didn't believe her at first. Of course, that all changed when she showed me the Mark. It was so hard to believe that I _had _to touch it. She smacked my hand away when I was millimeters from her skin.

"Don't do that, you'll summon _him!_" Lisa hissed. I was saved from having to reply, because Dad was calling up the stairs that it was time to go.

I pondered the whole situation on the Hogwarts Express. Lisa was honestly freaked out by the entire thing. I had heard her thrashing around at night, as if she had terrible nightmares. I also had a feeling that she hadn't told me everything. Sure, her story of being baited and snatched, and then enslaved while under the Imperious was terrifying enough, but Lisa was made of sterner stuff. She wouldn't let something like that perturb her.

The whole journey to Hogwarts, while we weren't being occupied by our prefect duties, she sat by the window in the compartment, leaving me to make small talk with our fellow Ravenclaws. I could tell that she was thinking about something, probably the thing that she had neglected to tell me. Still, I didn't pry. It would only make Lisa even jumpier.

When we got off at Hogsmeade, I noticed Malfoy acting shiftier than usual. He waited until everyone on his compartment had left. Then he shut all the blinds. I itched to get back at him, but I would be considered a snitch. Besides, he was a prefect too. For the moment, I had to be content with a glare.

The carriages entered the giant gates flanked on each side by winged boars, and stopped. The door opened, and Professor Flitwick asked for everyone's names. He checked us off of a list, and let the carriage go on. Before Flitwick shut the door again, I caught a glimpse of Aurors outside. The sight ruined any hopes that this year would be the same as any other.

**Lisa POV**

I knew that Arthur would try to ask more. He had obviously guessed that I was deliberately keeping something from him. I was surprised to find that he _didn't _try to ferret around like he usually did. He must've finally learned something from the last five years.

The Sorting was mainly uneventful. The Sorting Hat sang a song about how the four Houses had to unite for the upcoming struggle, and then the first years lined up to be Sorted. I smiled kindly at every Ravenclaw first year like I usually did. The sight of an apparently friendly Prefect calmed them down considerably. I could hear their breathing calm down from where I was sitting, almost on the other side of the table. Professor Dumbledore then proceeded to announce the staff changes. There was a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (big surprise there). I didn't expect that new professor to be Snape.

The next morning, I woke to a pleasant surprise. In the Common Room, nearly everyone in the room was standing around the board where announcements were posted. I made my way through the crowd, and found a piece of parchment announcing that Quiddich tryouts were on Friday. Farther down, it was announced that I would be the year's captain. Turning around, I noticed that everyone interested was looking respectfully at me, as if they could easily win their spot on the team by being nice to me. Oh no. It would take _much _more than that. After all, I hadn't gotten on the team the easy way either.


	3. 3: Some People Never Stop, Do They?

**A/N: Special thanks to my _only_ reviewer, notwolf! If you like long stories, or funny one-shots, check her profile out.**

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**Chapter 3: Some People Never Stop, Do They? **

**Lisa POV**

I gave everyone a smile before heading towards the corridor. They thought that they had me fooled, but it wasn't true. I was already devising a rigorous training exercise to make the tryouts a bit easier (at least, they would be for me).

Throughout breakfast, I sat and ate, bemused at how much respect I was getting. If they knew what I had become, this respect would never be real.

Somehow, I managed to survive the week without reaching a breaking point. I made it through my classes, researched a bit on the task at hand, and no one was none the wiser about it.

Friday, after dinner, I went back to the dormitories to fetch my broom, and then headed to the Quiddich pitch. Unsurprisingly, I found that about half of the second through fourth years had turned up. A good number of upper years went too. The one thing that did surprise me was that three first-years were standing on the sidelines, each clutching a broomstick. I couldn't send them away, not when it was common knowledge that I had joined the team as a first year.

I had each of the hopefuls line up according to their preferred position. For example, the Beaters went to one side, the Chasers, to another.

The Seekers were tested first, while there was still some light. I lined up the six contenders, and sent them after the Snitch. To my extreme chagrin, Cho Chang was the first to return with the tiny golden ball in her grasp. More than likely, I would have to appoint her as Seeker.

With that completed, I turned my attention to the Chasers. Five girls and three boys smiled pleasantly at me as I looked them over. The eight were divided into two groups: the ones that would be trying out for Central Chaser, and the ones trying out for Outside Chaser. I had them fly around the pitch and throw the Quaffle back and forth a few times to see how skilled they were. In the end, it was a pretty close tie between one of the first years and three other girls.

Next up were the Keepers. To make sure that they would be as skillful as possible, they would have to try to block _my _shots. When I announced that, nearly half of the students that were going to try out instantly chickened out. That just left me with Bradley, a third year, two fifth years, and…Arthur. My brother was grinning from ear to ear. He obviously thought that he had a chance, since he was always the Keeper when I practiced at home.

I lined up the five hopefuls, from youngest to oldest, and assigned them each a side of the field. Each one would have to block ten goals before flying off to make room for the next person.

The third year managed to block three shots. The fifth years practically got steamrolled. One of them kept ducking away from the Quaffle, and the other attempted to block it with his head. The poor boy got a serious concussion.

I moved on to the two sixth years: Arthur and Bradley. Bradley did pretty well, but he kept taunting me whenever he blocked the ball. At the moment, I wasn't in the mood for that kind of stuff. Arthur kept freezing up, but he managed to block four shots. I didn't care that people would say that I only appointed him because he was my brother, I just didn't want to have to put up with Bradley.

The Beaters tryouts went pretty smoothly. I was certain that last year's Beaters, Chambers and Page, were the best choice. I dismissed everyone, and we all trudged back to the Common Room. I sat in a comfortable chair and worked on my homework. When I was the last person still out of bed, I took out a sheet of parchment and wrote down the final line-up of the team. With that done, I posted the parchment on the notice board and headed up to the dormitory. It had been a long week, and the next would only be even worse.

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**Arthur POV**

The morning after the Quiddich tryouts, I got up early. The stiffness in my limbs wouldn't let me sleep. I stumbled out to the Common Room, and looked at the bulletin board. At first, my pain-numbed brain couldn't process the fact that my name was on the parchment listing the team's line-up. Then, when it finally clicked, I nearly jumped for joy. Forgetting my stiffness, I ran to the Great Hall in hopes of finding Ron or Harry to tell them the good news.

However, before I reached the Great Hall, I ran into Lisa, who was making her way up the stairs. She looked surprised to see me up.

"Hey Arthur. What are you doing up so early?" Lisa smiled pleasantly, but her eyes betrayed her exasperation. She didn't want me here.

"I woke up early, and decided to go see if Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the Great Hall already," I said. Lisa nodded. On an impulse, I asked, "What were _you _doing?"

Lisa looked out the window, and replied, "I was merely thinking. Planning Quiddich training sessions is hard work. Congratulations on making the team, by the way." She had turned to me, and her expression was calm and collected. It didn't match the turmoil that filled her pale eyes. Lisa must've guessed that her eyes were giving away her emotions, because the next time she blinked, her eyes turned brown.

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**Lisa POV**

I had to wait until Arthur left before I let myself show my anger. Why did he have to show up and _pry?_ He had promised himself that he wouldn't do that; I had heard him through Legillimency.

In truth, I still had no idea how I was supposed to fulfill _his _wishes. I didn't care if he killed me, I didn't want for my family and friends to get hurt because of my gullibility. I had snuck outside earlier, and went for a flight around the grounds, hoping that an idea would come to me in mid-air. But being in pigeon form made me uneasy now, so I had landed and headed inside to get some breakfast.

I was still stewing over Arthur's questions when a hostile voice made me turn around.

"Do you mind? Some of us are trying to get to breakfast."

"What are you doing up here Malfoy? I thought your common room was in the dungeons, not the second floor."

"None of your business, _birdie_. I can go around the castle as I please too."

"Don't you mean 'strut', ferret?" To my satisfaction, the ferret comment still made him sting. Nobody had ever let him forget the time in fourth year when Professor Moody had transfigured him into a ferret.

Without another word, Malfoy rudely brushed past me. But not before I managed to read his thoughts.


	4. 4: My Mind Has Gone Completely Bonkers

**Chapter 4: "My Mind Has Gone Completely Bonkers."**

**Lisa POV**

Draco's mind was completely unexpected. Since I was fairly new to Legillimency, it took me a bit to process all of the turbulent thoughts.

Draco's terrified face. A circle of Death Eaters surrounding the three Malfoys, with Bellatrix and the Dark Lord issuing orders. Searing pain, obscuring any other rational thought.

My eyes snapped open in the realization that the pain was my own. I was being summoned.

When I saw the clearing in the distance, I put on an extra burst of speed. Even with my hasty retreat from Hogwarts, I was still the last to arrive (even the werewolves had beaten me there).

Trying to keep an ounce of my dignity, I alighted in a tree, and from there, jumped down to the ground. It was a miracle that I could still stand upright, as my arm was throbbing painfully, due to my close proximity to the Dark Lord.

He acknowledged my presence with a nod, before beginning the meeting.

"Now that Elizabeth joined us, we can begin."

"-Its about time-"

"-I don't get why that little girl is one of us.-"

"SILENCE!" Bellatrix screeched. The crowd quieted, but I noticed that most of the Death Eaters still gave me disapproving glances. In fact, the only ones besides the Dark Lord himself who weren't staring at me were Bella and Lucius Malfoy.

The meeting was fairly uneventful. After realizing that most of the plans didn't involve me, I tuned everyone out, and focused instead on my memories of the last few days.

My time at the Burrow hadn't been an extremely enjoyable experience, as it usually was. Occasionally, something caused Ron to remember his old rat Scabbers, which led me to recall the perfidy I had to perform.

I managed to snap back into reality just as the meeting was beginning to break up. Without sparing a backwards glance, I turned into an owl and started to fly away.

"Wait!" Bellatrix's voice stopped me. With a sigh, I headed back.

While the Death Eaters Apparated away, Bellatrix led me away, out of earshot of the werewolves who were waiting for someone to take them on side-along.

"Listen," she said. "The master has informed me of more details about your task." Then, making sure that nobody was listening, she whispered the new instructions into my ear.

**Arthur POV**

All throughout breakfast, I alternated between scanning the Ravenclaw table for Lisa and trying to eat with my still-sore hands. Padma and Terry noticed also noticed that Lisa was gone. When she didn't show up by the time breakfast was over, I began to worry that something terrible had happened to her.

However, she showed up for Charms on time, albeit later than usual. Professor Flitwick, in all his tiny little glory, was teaching us the _Sonorous _charm. Having learned it from Ludo Bagman during my fourth year, I turned my attention to other things.

I had promised Lisa that I would stop pestering her, but I couldn't resist this time.

"Why weren't you at breakfast?"

Lisa turned to look at me coolly. I noted that her eyes were dark brown again. "I went around the grounds for a bit again, and I suppose I lost track of time." I could tell that she was lying, but I kept that thought to myself. Still, Lisa scowled momentarily and turned away. _What did I do this time?_

**Lisa POV**

Oh, that Arthur… I wished he could just keep his curiosity at bay for a while. During Charms, I was trying to puzzle out the new details of my task, and Arthur suddenly leaned over and asked me where I had gone. Mentally, I cursed him to the deepest recesses of the Chamber of Secrets. Couldn't he tell I was busy?

I gave him a straightforward answer that wasn't that much of a lie. Still, he was getting smarter. Arthur realized that I was lying, and I heard him clearly think, _It's a good thing she can't hear what I'm thinking._

_One of these days, _I thought, _one of these days you'll finally realize that I'm-_ oh, what did he want now?

But it wasn't Arthur who had jabbed me sharply in the arm; it was Professor Flitwick, who was looking uncharacteristically annoyed. "Miss Penhaligon, is there a reason you think you have an excuse for staring off into space when you have a complicated charm to learn? Nobody has ever mastered it in one class period!"

Again, I had more important things to do. "I already know this charm, Professor – Arthur does too." I was careful to keep my impatience out of my voice; let me tell you, it wasn't easy.

Flitwick looked surprised. "Where did you learn the charm? It's not in any spellbooks before the one you're currently using."

Arthur noticed how angry I was getting, so he quickly intervened before I tore the little wizard apart limb by limb.

"I picked it up from Ludo Bagman during the Quiddich World Cup final, and I taught it to Lisa," he said. Clearly, Flitwick was satisfied with this because he went back to his desk. During the rest of the period, I had to cast a Silencing Charm around myself to concentrate. Thankfully, I had a free period next, so by the time I went to lunch I had the semblance of a plan in my mind.

I went to sit at my usual spot between Arthur and Padma and nearly ran into Pansy the Pug. Her thoughts, so bland before, instantly took a strong turn. _That stuck-up, no good, Muggle-loving…_The same thing always ran through the minds of purebloods whenever I walked by. However, this time Pansy took it to a farther level.

"Watch where you're going, you piece of lowlife scum. This area is only for true purebloods." Oh, the nerve…

"Oh, really? I don't see a sign proclaiming that. Besides, we're by the Hufflepuff table. Almost everyone here is Muggle-born."

She sputtered for a moment, taking in her surroundings for the first time. Most of the Hufflepuffs and some Ravenclaws had gathered around us. I had become notorious for losing my temper at Umbridge last year, and this argument with Pansy promised the same amount of full-blown insults.

"It's all the same; this school is dominated by Mudbloods. What happened to the old days when only _true _wizards attended?" Pansy's words had a strong effect on the students surrounding us, but not as strong as the effect they had on me. Being around Death Eaters had shown me exactly what such prejudices caused.

"I'm sure your Mummy and Daddy showed you exactly what Hogwarts used to be quite a few years ago."

"At least my mother's not a filthy Muggle." That struck a nerve. Gritting my teeth to keep from screaming obscenities at her, I formulated the perfect comeback. Nobody had ever heard this particular fact about me, but it was worth it.

"I'll have you know, my _real _mother was a respected pureblood who, if I remember correctly, dated your father and then dumped him in the Black Lake when she broke up with him." Sadly, my perfect comeback had a huge loophole. It was so big that even Pansy saw it.

"Your real mother, you say? What happened to her? Did she leave your father for a fling with a cheap Muggle?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I managed to keep my composure while saying clearly, "She died while hiding from your so-called true wizards." After that, I went into my preferred form (a hawk) and flew out of there as if there was a pack of rabid Death Eaters on my tail, leaving everyone else to puzzle out what I had just said.


	5. 5: Old Enemies Make Good Allies

**Chapter 5: Old Enemies Make Good Allies**

I sought refuge in the Room of Requirement. I should've found the fact that the door was ajar a bit suspicious, but at that moment I didn't care. The moment I landed, back in human form, tears began to flow down my face. I rarely thought about my mother, and when I did, I always ended up crying.

"Who's there?" Oh great. The last thing I needed was for that git Malfoy to find me in that state. I crept backwards into the shadows, and knocked down a pile of old books. So much for being discreet.

Being in emotional turmoil and all that, it took me a while to concentrate enough to get rid of my red and puffy eyes. But by then it was too late. Malfoy had found me, and at the moment he was staring at me with a shocked look on his face.

"What do you want?" I hissed.

Malfoy was clearly at a loss for words. Nobody, not even Arthur, had ever seen me cry. Knowing Malfoy, this revelation would be through the school by dinner. I probed his mind to locate the correct thought, and raised my wand to modify his memory. But, just at the last moment, I stopped myself. There was no spite or glee in Draco's mind, only pity and concern. I blinked, confused.

Right at that moment, Draco regained the ability to speak. "I, er… heard someone come in. I thought Crabbe and Goyle would keep anyone away…" He trailed off, realizing what he had revealed.

It didn't matter; it only confirmed what I had assumed before. The Dark Lord had given Draco a task too, and I was willing to bet it was somehow connected to mine.

"Anyways, what are _you _doing in here? Why were you…?" Talk about awkward. For six years we had been enemies, and here he was, showing compassion for me.

"You seriously want to know?" Draco nodded, and I sighed inwardly. "Ask your girlfriend."

To my surprise, and—was that glee?—he grimaced. "You mean Pansy, don't you? Don't tell me she tried to hex you and got a piece of dirt in your eyes."

Oh, fine. He would be better off knowing the unbiased version anyways. "Pansy and I got in an…argument. She made me say things that brought forth some unpleasant memories."

"Ohhh… I thought it was…" _Wait. There's no way she could be one. _I heard the thought as clearly as if he had spoken aloud.

"So you don't know everything." I said simply. While he processed my words, I walked away. I didn't want to face his reaction.

"Wait!" I flinched, and turned around. "So you're…a Death Eater?"

Hmph. Took him long enough to figure it out. "Yes, I'm a Death Eater too. So now that you've practically made me pour my heart out to you, would you kindly get out of my sight?"Draco, of course, didn't listen to my thinly veiled threat. Panicked, he tried to think of a time when he had accidentally let out his secret. However, finding none, he tried to think of a possible solution. Naturally, there was only one.

"No way. You're a Legilimens?" I rolled my eyes. Of course I was. I was surprised he hadn't figured it out before. But then again, this was a Slytherin we were talking about.

"Can you probe through everyone's thoughts?" I shrugged. It wasn't like I had looked through the thoughts of everyone that passed my way. After all, I had barely discovered this useful talent not long ago.

"At the moment, not if they have a barrier around their minds. But I'm working on it."

Draco was clearly amazed, which was probably a first for him. "Jeez, your parents must've experimented on you a lot when you were younger," he said. That statement reminded me why I was here, talking to Malfoy and trying to keep my tears back. This time, to make sure Malfoy wouldn't follow me, I turned into a fly and flew into a tiny crevice between some old junk. Luckily, there was a gap on the other side, so I flew out and made my way towards the very back of the room. It wasn't an easy feat. In this state, the Room of Requirement was enormous, filled with the junk students had accumulated over hundreds of years.

Eventually, I found a secluded spot. By then, I couldn't even see the enormous doors from my elevated position in the sky.

When I went back to human form, I was surprised to find that I hadn't started crying yet. But maybe that had to do with the fact that flies can't cry.

I didn't know if I was relieved or annoyed when Malfoy found me again, hours later. He was covered in dust, no doubt from extensive searching.

"Come on. You can't just stay here," he said, extending his hand to me. I took it and got up.

We walked for a bit, and soon it became apparent that we were hopelessly lost. Draco must've found me purely by accident, because he couldn't remember the way back to the entrance. However, I spotted a pair of broomsticks. They were in pretty bad shape, but they would be enough to get us back.

We spoke little during our flight over the endless field of junk. The silence suited me just fine. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't figure out Draco Malfoy. We'd practically been mortal enemies for six years, and here we were, acting like—dare I say it?—friends.

The entrance suddenly came into view. It was a good thing, as the brooms were beginning to show signs of falling apart.

Draco pulled into a dive and managed to get a foot above the ground before his broom gave a final _Pop! _and began to disintegrate. I wasn't so lucky. I was still hovering somewhere around fifteen feet above the ground when my broom gave out.

Before I could react, Draco had me with a Hovering Charm. He set me down on firm ground and looked away, completely embarrassed.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

We stood there awkwardly until I remembered that it was getting late. I headed towards the exit, but was stopped when Draco grabbed onto my arm.

"What's your task? I'm assuming you were instructed to help me out."

"Well, I don't know if I'm supposed to be helping you out if I don't even know what you're doing." Even as I thought about it, it was hardly likely. Still, it wouldn't hurt to know what Malfoy was up to.

He smiled nervously. "I'm supposed to kill Dumbledore. There's nothing easier I could've been given." Bad jokes. It was a sure sign that he was more scared about it than he was letting on.

"Sounds like a piece of cake. I'm supposed to be 'discovering the secrets of the past' or something like that." In reality, I still didn't know the full extent of my task. That was just my theory.

"Oh. Nice." I didn't have time to dwell on his despair. As it was, I was worried enough about the huge telling-off I would get from Flitwick for disappearing for the whole afternoon.

We left the Room of Requirement, exactly as the clock announced that it was six o'clock. I nodded to Draco and the two little first years standing outside simultaneously, and headed towards Ravenclaw tower. After we had headed our separate ways, I realized I had forgotten to modify Malfoy's memory. But for some strange reason, I really didn't care.


End file.
